Is the next French Revolution on its way?

With the economy going to wrack and ruin, house prices falling across the country and enough rain to clog gutters you didn’t even know you had, it’s nice that there is some cheer for us fans of bricks and mortar.

That silver lining is easy to find if you own a home in Hammersmith & Fulham – because according to the experts at website Primelocation.com, the borough experienced a 4.8% jump in house prices in March.

The increase has pushed the price of the average house in the borough to an eye-watering £1,246,778.

The size of the jump – achieved in just one month alone – is remarkable considering our downbeat economy and pessimism over the state of the European Union’s finances.

But that’s the rub. It seems to be clear that while West London fiddles the Eurozone burns.

And as the Euro continues to be viewed as risky by investors – and look at the way the dollar and the pound have rallied against it recently – it must be translating into foreign owners playing safe and investing in West London homes.

This is only likely to helped by the ousting of Sarkozy in France and the election of a socialist touting a 75% tax on millionaires as part of his manifesto.

Where are those French millionaires going to flee?

Many of them will head to West London, whether it’s Fulham, South Kensington or Belgravia. Historically, the strong French schools – like the bi-lingual L’école Marie d’Orliac in Clancarty Road, Fulham – have attracted parents who have created strong French communities. And parked their money.

Just like Westfield, this influx of foreign money and the new transport links and the falling council tax have only done one thing – attract more people to the area and tempt more people to set down roots and invest in property.

It’s a topsy-turvy world, but now is a great time to look for areas that still have a good return to promise – and that means primarily Shepherds Bush.

But let’s not forget about Hammersmith. We’ve experienced our own election night jitters in London recently as Mayor Boris Johnson’s was narrowly re-elected.

Love him or hate him, he’s promising to – once again – reduce taxes for Londoners. That said, he will probably also approve the next plan tabled by the council to revamp King Street and the town hall.

And like Boris, love or hate the town hall plans, it will mean significant investment in western Hammersmith. Which can’t be a bad thing.